“I can hardly wait”

VfL Wolfsburg host Werder Bremen on Saturday 6 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST) in their opening game of the 60th Bundesliga campaign. This is the 49th league meeting between VfL and Werder, who are back in the top flight after a one-season absence. At the press conference ahead of the game at the Volkswagen Arena, head coach Niko Kovac answered the media’s questions on…

…personnel: “Kilian Fischer has been having calf problems of late and probably won’t be available on Saturday. The injury to Yannick Gerhardt is common knowledge – he remains sidelined. Other than that, all players are fit.”

…preparations for the new season: “There’s always a lot of work in pre-season. There’s a lot of trial and error, and at the start of the season nobody really knows where they stand. Apart from the friendlies you don’t have any reference points. As such, tension before the start of the Bundesliga campaign is high. You obviously try to get off to a good start and get points on the board to gain a sense of security. As coaches we think we’ve covered everything, but the first real answers will only come after several matchdays.”

…the opponents: “They’re not a typical promoted side. Werder Bremen are a club that belong in the first division. They shouldn’t have been relegated but had a good season in the second tier. Things are going really well with Werder coach Ole Werner. We’re expecting a good Bundesliga-level side and an intense game with added bite, as it’s a contest between two northern clubs.”

…VfL’s opening games: “Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as time in football. You’re judged right from the final whistle of your first game. We’ll take things slowly and not attempt any second steps before taking our first. We obviously have to make sure we play well in our first game. If we perform the way we can perform, we have a good chance – although we know Werder Bremen will have something to say about that. What happens in Munich next week is of no interest at the moment.”

…his Bundesliga return: “I’m a Bundesliga kid and have always followed it. It’s special for me to be back. Now the pressure is increasing, but there’s also excitement and adrenaline. I can hardly wait to start on Saturday.”